Grey’s Anatomy Recap: Past, Present, Suture

“She does not look happy,” April says to Jackson the first time she sees her monster-in-law in this week’s Grey’s Anatomy, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.” But, by the end of the episode, it’s the newlyweds wearing the stricken expressions, not Catherine — and she isn’t even to blame. Read on. I’ll explain.

ON SECOND THOUGHT… | When Jackson argues that it’s inappropriate of Catherine to immediately hit April with a postnup — most people say hello first — Mama Avery fires back that “what’s inappropriate is, the engagement was 15 minutes at a rest stop on the turnpike.” (Score one for Mama.) Regardless, if it will calm Catherine down, April is perfectly happy to sign the document. Which, unfortunately, only averts one crisis. “Now,” Catherine suggests, “let’s talk about the children.” Avery heirs, it turns out, begin attending Avery Foundation board meetings at 15. They go away to boarding school. They are pro-choice. None of which April and Jackson discussed — or even thought about — before eloping and none of which sits well with the bride. So, before most couples would even be back from their honeymoons, these two have gone from the wedding to marital strife!

AGE BEFORE DUTY? | Although Catherine spends most of her time dishing out unappetizing food for thought to April and Jackson, she’s really visiting for Richard’s birthday. He could use his lady love’s support, too, as his day begins with Owen bumming him out by handing him papers suggesting that he consider retiring. (Ouch.) At least his day ends well: After removing from a patient’s abdomen the twin brother that he absorbed, Richard is not only treated to a surprise party that’s only kind of a surprise, he’s asked by Owen to become the director of the residency program. “I’ll think about it,” he says in a way that suggests, “The answer’s yes.”

YOURS, MINE AND OURS | After Callie lawyers up in order to prevent Derek from monopolizing the sensors that she’s been using in their research for his brain-mapping project, it gets — as one would expect — majorly tense between them. “There’s a reason you feel terrible,” she says. “It’s ’cause [cutting off my research is] the wrong thing to do, and you know it.” Since she’s right on both counts, he eventually teams up with her to convince the Washington bigwigs — “bullies,” he labels them with a Post-It — that her work is just as important as his. He even goes so far as to quit when they balk at allowing him and Callie to share the equipment. Upshot: As Callie puts it, “We overthrew the government today!”

MAKING THE ROUNDS | Once Alex explains to Jo that he wants her to sign HR’s “love contract” for no more complicated reason than “I want to kiss you when I want to kiss you,” she gets over her fear that the agreement is the “kiss of death” and affixes her Jane Hancock. Meredith welcomes her new bioengineer, Eric, by forbidding him (at first) from using her printer and making Stephanie baby-sit him as he reads up on her project. Cristina refuses to allow Shane’s patient, a pregnant teenager, into her conduit trials for children. And, even after Cristina signs Owen up for internet dating, she’s still the woman with whom he wants to leave Richard’s birthday party!

Okay, your turn. What did you think of the episode? Will Jackson wind up agreeing to raise their theoretical children April’s way, or will she agree to bring them up his way? Hit the comments!

I just can’t get behind Webber-centered episodes. I found this one to be unbearably long. Meredith’s new assistant is Shane 2.0 and that’s a problem because I cannot stand Shane. Hated the medical case with the guy who absorbed his twin. Found it boring. Callie and Derek were interesting. Glad this wasn’t dragged unnecessarily. But, good grief! The moment Derek opens his mouth to talk medicine I completely tune out. He’s soooo boring with the medicine. Every week I’m loving Japril more and more but I find Catherine to be insufferable. Cristina annoyed me for the first time ever. I’m tired of this merry go round. The way she was pushing Owen to internet date was aggravating. And now, they are back to being together? Dios mio! Enough already. Its beyond ridiculous. She’s unable to move on from him but still won’t budge on the baby thing and he knows she won’t give him what he needs but still hangs on? At this point they are both idiots who deserve each other. Bottom line, found this to be a filler and boring episode. Most interesting parts were April standing up to Catherine, and Callie drawing for Derek her interpretation of him. That was funny. And, once again Greys blows the budget on a party only to show 2 minutes of it…

I appreciate that the character of Richard is being respected and he has been linked with the residents. He has been their biggest supporter and encourager and on the plus side it gives both him and the residents something to do. I was wondering what was going to happen with Richard after he wasn’t killed off so it is nice to see him in a position to oversee the residents and to have the residents receive the same support, encouragement and wisdom that the ‘originals’ received during their early days.

I found it endearing and sweet how the residents fought over who got to toast Richard first. I was glad to know that by the end of the episode Richard was not put out to pasture as he thought. It was also funny how they teased him about not having a birthday party for him as that has been done before in seasons past. I was glad that Richard got to celebrate another birthday and also that Bailey was able to save him and celebrate that day with him. I know it had to mean so much to her.

As for Jackson and April, well that is just being realistic. Those types of questions (schools, religion, etc.) have to be addressed and it is preferable before marriage, but oh well, it is what it is. It will be entertaining to watch the two of them sort it out. I mean this is April we are talking about here! :) Sarah Drew is great as April. April has grown on me over the seasons and she has become one of my favorite characters on the show. I don’t like Jackson all that much, but he is pretty and with him comes Mama Avery and I adore Debbie Allen so no complaints here!

Cristina and Owen?! Seriously?! *screams* Are we really being taken down this road again? Could we please not?! [insert agonizing plea here]

I enjoyed this episode except for the moments Catherine was shrieking at April and Jackson. Not only is it unentertaining and annoying, but also serves to point out how hypocritical her character can be. ‘You’re an Avery….you have to stand on your own….stand out….make decisions…..but only if you run every thought/idea/decision past me……tow the line….make the decisions I want you to make.’ I hope they approach April and Jackson’s discussions about religion and schooling realistically and don’t turn it into some ridiculously overdramatic plot thread.

I’m in the minority but I love the Chief (and he’ll always be that to me) and I’m glad they are giving him more to do. They could kill every intern except for Jo and I’d jump for joy. I adore Alex and Jo together. Nice to see him happy for the first time since Izzy. I am also glad that Sandra Oh is leaving for no other reason than I will never have to see this Owen/Christina crap ever again. They are horrible together and he’s flip flopped more than any woman I know. They could kill him off, too, and that would be just peachy for me. I really like April and Jackson together but did they seriously never discuss anything about the future when they were together before?? Mama Avery might have went about way too loudly and out of hurt for them not including her but she was right on target. It’ll be funny to see them work through their differences. Overall, not a very strong episode but I’m glad because Scandal was way intense and I’d never have slept if both were that way.

I loved this episode. Yay, Richard! Yay, Callie & Derek! Ehh, Cristina & Owen. Yawn, Jo & Alex. April & Jackson: I thought Mama Avery was a little over the top, but rightly so . . . in the end, you could see that her feelings were hurt. I was glad she gave them the perspective they so obviously needed. As they were discussing boarding school and religions, etc. I was reminded of a line from Fools Rush In, “Now see, this is the kinda conversation you have on date 2.”

I have no definitive answer, but based on what Mama Avery was saying now and in the past, as well as what Jackson has said and done in the past, I kind of get the feeling that science is their religion. They don’t seem like a religious family.

Ugh, why must they insist on having Cristina repeat these same story lines. I’m SO OVER the Cristina/Owen drama. They don’t work and these scenes between them aren’t interesting at all.. What do they plan on doing? Having them stay together and she’ll get pregnant again and the same drama repeats (I’m sorry, I love Cristina, but she’s just stupid. She needs to get her tubes tied!).
Sandra Oh’s final season has been a huge disappointment. I have barely enjoyed a single thing from the writing for her this season except for the emotional confrontation with Mer. There’s only 8 more episodes left and they’re continuing to waste it on this Crowen nonsense.
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Overall though, I thought it was definitely one of the better episodes this season. I could have done with a little less Richard and interns though.